The Arthritis Foundation thanks the governors in eight states for signingbiosimilar legislationin 2018 that enhances patient access to new and innovative medications, while ensuring that pharmacists are communicating critical, up-to-date medical information about patients to physicians. New laws inConnecticut, Michigan, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, West Virginia and Wisconsinwill positively impact approximately 5.3 million people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
“This legislation will grant access to life-changing medications while ensuring proper safeguards for both patient and physician when a prescription is substituted,” said Connecticut Advocacy Chair Paula Haney.
On Thursday, November 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced they would reverse a policy determining how providers are paid for administeringbiosimilar drugs根据医疗保险b部分，生物仿制药是一种与生物参考产品“相似”的药物，由食品和药物管理局(FDA)批准;生物仿制药为患者提供了市场上更实惠的治疗方案，以解决他们的疾病。
On behalf of the more than 3.6 million New Yorkers (including 18,400 children) with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation thanks Governor Andrew Cuomo for signingbiosimilar legislationinto law. The new law, A.7509/S.4788, enhances patient access to new and innovative medications while ensuring that pharmacists are communicating critical and up-to-date medical information about patients to physicians.
We applaud Maryland Governor Larry Hogan for joining 28 other states in creating a pathway for the substitution of biologic medications withbiosimilarsby signing the Pharmacists – Substitution and Dispensing of Biological Products bill into law.
Iowa has recently joined 27 other states that have passedbiosimilarslegislation. On behalf of the 619,000 adults (plus 2,800 children) in Iowa with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, we’d like to thank Governor Branstad for signing House File 305 into law on Friday, March 10, 2017.
The bill allows Iowa pharmacists the ability to dispensesafeand potentiallyless expensivebiologic medications to patients, by substituting an FDA approved interchangeable biosimilar for a prescribed biologic product. The law also requires that the prescriber and patient be notified when there is a substitution. Continue readingVictory in Iowa: Biosimilar Legislation Signed Into Law!→
For years now, many arthritis patients have utilized biologic medications to great effect. Biologics have allowed those with arthritis, as well as many other chronic diseases, to stabilize their condition and help them better quality lives. Now, due to innovation, new medications are coming to market which could provide arthritis patients with more, and potentially less expensive, options. These new medications are called“biosimilar” medicationswhich are similar to, but not exact copies of name brand biologics. Continue readingVictory in Montana! Governor Bullock Signs Biosimilar Substitution→
Imagine that your pharmacist substituted the biologic drug prescribed by your physician for a different drug, an interchangeable biologic product, without your physician being informed. For many people in Ohio who are taking biologic drugs, this scary scenario was a potential reality. Continue readingOhio Biosimilar Substitution bill signed into Law by Governor Kasich→
Devon Salasin is a junior at Penn State University and a talented snow skier. So good, that she recently placed 23rdout of 107 skiers at the National Collegiate Alpine Race. But skiing wasn’t always fun or easy for Devon.
